Cordless telephone-switchboard.



M. L. BURNER. CORDLESS TELEPHONE SWITCHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 25.1916- Patented Oct. 23, 191?.

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msuLATmn Ml: lnvenc or Atto rn eys- M. L. G'URRIER. .CORDLESS TELEPHONE SW|TCHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25,1916.

1,24359 Patented- Oct. 23,1917.

2 SHiETS-SHEET 2.

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- Attorneys Witnesses In D ES ELEP O Er W T QA D- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 191'?! Application filed July 25; 1916. Seria1'No.-111,2 73.

The present invention appertains to telehone switch boards and aimsto rovide a i telephone switch board eliminating the use oi: cords for the ]t0l plugs, thereby remow. ing the ob ect1ons incident to the use oi such cords, and providinga switch board which is convenient and simple to operate and sin1.-- ple in construction.

Another object of the inventionv is the provision of a switch board of thenatu-re indicated which can be connected in multiple with one or more similarswitch boards by the use of one or more multiple plugs.

With the foregoingand other objectsiin view which will appear as the descriptionproceeds, the-invention resides int 1e combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction herelnafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can bemade within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein V Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improved switch board.

Fig. 2 is a fraginental front view of the board. 7

Fig. 3 is a sectional View takenon the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one form of jack plug.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of another jack plug.

Fig. 6 isa perspective view of the multiple plug.

form of Fig.7 's a diagrammatical view illustrating the wiring, and also showing the use of the multiple plug for connecting. two ad acent switch boards.

A conventional-switch board cabinet. is.

illustrated in Fig.1, the switch board proper being designated l7 and having embedded therein parallel vertical strips 18 and parallel horizontal strips 19, the twosets of-strips being arranged in intersecting relation and being provided with slots 20 receiving the opposits strips,- wherebythe intersecting strips K are separated. The intersecting stripsare insulated from one another, as at21. The. strips of each set are arranged in. pairs. and. asillustra-ted the strips of each pair. converge rearwardly, although this ieaturei need notzbe used when tapered. sockets are, not wanted. Thepairs of strips of each set are designated by suitable numerals or-in-M dices 23- and 24:, and suitable .annunciators. 21 are. provided for. the pairs o'fhorizontalt and vertical strips; VVh'erethe pairs of ver-. tical and horizontal strips cross, they pro.- videtapered square jack: sockets 22, the-four walls of each socketzbeing insulatedifromone another and being portions .of-tonehorr' zontal and, one vertical pair of-strips.

In Fig. 7, the numerals 25 designate the terminals of themain lineiwires, of the sevsuccessive pairs of strips of both thevertical and horizontal strips. Thus, the conductors 25 designated 1 are connected tothevertical strips 18 designated 1, and to the horizontal strips 19 designated 1: TheconductorsQ are. similarlyconnected to both the 1 horizontal: and vertical strips designated 2, the conductors 3 to the-horizontal strips designated 3, and so on; The wires 26. and 27' are prefer-v ably attached to. the ends of thestrips, although this .is not compulsory.

One form of ackplug is showninFig. i, and is designated '28, the same being coin posed of suitable, insulatingmaterial,v and has secured to-the inner end thereot a pair of diagonally opposite V shaped bridgingsprings 29 which project toward the butt .end:

- ofjthe plug. andwhichare spaced slightly from the diagonally opposite corners of -the. plug28. When the plug28 is introducedin a. socket 22, in any angularposition- (it be.-

ing possible to insert the plug; :in four. dif;' fer ent angular positions), the bridging plates 29 will.bridgetheghorizontal; and-wen;

tical strips at diagonally opposite corners of the socket; aS- S66I1-ZlI1 Fdgr2a In Fig 5 a different form of jack plug is illustrated, the same embodying the diagonally opposite bridging portions 29 which are of conductive material, the same as the bridging springs 29, and said portions 29 are separated from one another by the insulation'28. The plug is tapered and is square cross section, to fit in the sockets 22 snugly, and the butt end of the plug has a handle or finger piece 28 whereby it can be conveniently manipulated. In use, supposing that the calling party is on the main line conductors 25 designated 10, and is calling for the party on main line conductors designated 5, the operator inserts the jack plug in the socket 22 at the intersection of the horizontal strips 19 designated 10, and the vertical strips 18 desig nated 5, thus immediately connecting the two pairs of main line conductors. Thus, one main line conductor designated 10 is connected to one main line conductor 5 by way of one wire 26, one strip 19, one bridging spring or portion 29, one vertical strip 18 and one wire 27, while the other main conductor designated 10 is connected to the other main conductor designated 5 by the other wire 29, strip 19, bridging portion 29, strip 18 and conductor 27 of the pair. The horizontal strips 19 are preferably used for the calling party, while the vertical strips 18 are preferably used forthe called party, although the reverse arrangement can be employed if desired. It is therefore evident that any two pairs of main line wires or conductors can be readily connected by the simple introduction of one of the jack plugs in the proper socket. The use of jaclfplug cords is eliminated, thus saving time and trouble, and the switch board is nevertheless practical and eflicient in use as well as extremely simple in construction.

The multiple plug 30 shown in Fig. 6 is of square tapered form, and is provided at opposite sides with bridging plates 31 insulated from one another.

'The multiple plugs can be used for connecting adjacent switch boards as suggested in Fig. 7, it being noted that the plugs 30 when introduced between the adjacent switch boards is adapted to connect the alining pairs of horizontal strips 19 by means of the bridging plates 81, whereby said strips are connected between the two switch boards so as to connect them in multiple.

With the present construction, it will be noted that four of the switchboard strips or conductors (two vertical and two horizontal) are connected with two main lines. Thus, each pair of main lines is connected to one pair of the vertical strips or conductors of the switchboard, and said strips can be connected with the ringing and listening keys (not shown); Said pair of main lines is also connected to the corresponding horizontal strips or conductors of the switchboard bearing the same number. The ends of the horizontal strips are arranged for connection in multiple with an adjacent switchboard as seen in Fig. 7.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A telephone switch board having a set of strips arranged in'pairs and extending in one direction, a second set of strips arranged in pairs and extending in another direction at an angle with the aforesaid strips, the strips oi the two sets intersecting one another and providing jack sockets at the points of intersection, pairs of main line terminals, pairs of conductors connecting the pairs of main line terminals with the respective pairs of strips of one set, other pairs of conductors also connected to said pairs of main line terminals and connected to the respective pairs of strips of the other set, and a jack plug insertible in said sockets and having diagonally opposite bridging portions for connecting the intersecting pairs of strips, whereby to connect two pairs of main line terminals.

2. A telephone switch board having two sets of intersecting strips embedded therein, the strips of each set being arranged in pairs, the intersections of said pairs of strips providing jack sockets, the strips of each pair converging rearwardly, whereby said sockets at the intersections oi the pairs of strips are tapered rearwardly, and a ta- 100 pered jack plug insertible in said sockets having diagonally opposite bridging portions insulated from one another for bridging strips of two intersecting pairs.

8. A pair of telephone switch boards each 105 having a set of horizontal strips arranged in pairs, a set of vertical strips arranged in pairs and intersecting the aforesaid strips to provide jack sockets at the intersections, said switch boards being disposed side by 110 side with the horizontal pairs of strips in alinement, a multiple plug insertible between said switch boards for connecting the adjacent terminals of corresponding pairs of horizontal strips, and a jack plug 'in- 115 sertible in said sockets and having diago nally opposite bridge portions for connecting the intersecting pairs of strips.

lln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto a'liixed my signa- 120 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

MARION L. CURRIER. Witnesses J. W. WILSON, D. W. Wrrson.

(301M of. this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, n. c. 

